Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
FORMER Castle Lager Premiership outfit, Buffaloes – arguably Mutare’s best supported team with allegiant fans – is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to reach, at least, the last 16 of the lucrative Munhumutapa Cup.
The ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup is a historic, US$25 million knockout tournament launched this year by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).
Spanning five years, it features over 1 000 teams across all levels, and the senior men’s champions receive US$1 million alongside a ticket to the CAF Confederation Cup.
And the Mutare army side, now playing in the Pacific Storm Eastern Region Division One League, will be hosting Southern Region pacesetters, Blanket Mine at Mutare Showgrounds on Sunday in a potentially explosive Munhumutapa Cup preliminary round encounter that both teams want to win.
The match starts at 3pm.
Blanket Mine are yet to lose a match in the Southern Region Division One League, and their form speaks volumes of the challenge that Buffaloes FC face in their pursuit to reach the last 16 of the Munhumutapa Cup.
The Nyarai ‘Nyangwe’ Masunde-coached Buffaloes have enjoyed great support from Mutare football fans over the years, even after its stint in the Premiership and well-wishers have took turns to show their support for the club through donations towards its welfare.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Misheck Mugadza recently handed over complete uniform to the army outfit, and this week public transporter, Double T Bus Company will be handing over a similar donation to the team.
Owned by businessman, Farai Fungurume, Double T Bus Company is making the donation after a plea by its manager, Gift Changara Mudhosi and Clemmence ‘Master Njanji’ Saunyama to help the community run football club.
Be that as it may, Buffaloes have their eyes on the last 16 of the Munhumutapa Cup.
Masunde said: “We hoping to reach the Round of 16 that includes the Premier League teams. After this weekend’s fixture, after the match against Blanket Mine, we will in the Round of 32, so reaching the Round of 16 as Buffaloes it will a great achievement.”
Buffaloes secretary general, Aaron Dzvete, expressed gratitude at the support that the club has been receiving from stakeholders in Mutare as well as well-wishers beyond.
“We are just grateful to the gesture from the Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, hopefully it will keep on psyching the players and win all our next encounters.
“We thank Minister Mugadza, and hopefully floodgates have been opened. More donations are welcome. The space on our shirts and shorts is available to advertisers,” said Dzvete.
He further expressed hope that the club will not disappoint on the field of play.
“These donations are also a source of motivation, knowing that we have people backing us, and expecting something from us on the field of play. This is the reason why we are taking each match seriously, including the Munhumutapa Cup where we think we just have to remind people that Buffaloes is still a formidable outfit they have always known,” said Dzvete.
